The Gewandhaus on Leipzig’s Augustusplatz is a concert hall and a landmark of the city’s musical life. Completed in 1981, its angular, modernist building is home to the Gewandhausorchester, one of the world’s oldest civic orchestras. Its name comes from the cloth merchants’ house where the orchestra first performed under the Gewandhaus name in 1781.
The orchestra’s roots reach back to 1743, and its history is closely tied to Leipzig’s place in classical music. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy served as its music director in the 19th century, helping to establish its international reputation. The present hall is the third Gewandhaus concert venue; its predecessor was destroyed during the Second World War.
A performance is the best way to experience the building, whose main hall is admired for its acoustics. Arrive early to look up at Sighard Gille’s vast ceiling painting in the glass-fronted foyer, which brings a burst of colour to the concrete architecture.
Book ahead for popular concerts, especially during the main season, and check the venue’s website for performance times and foyer access. Augustusplatz tram stop is close by, and the Gewandhaus is an easy walk from Leipzig’s city centre and main railway station.